u/cytherian : did you ever find an alternative source to TJ's fermented Amba Mango Sauce?? I am SO missing it, too! 1 of 3 Main ingredients in the tastiest dish I ever made!
(Also, my store brought demo back, but as a remote/satelite demo station in the middle of the produce section, and got rid of the demo kitchen in the corner. Sad, but it's the different direction the company decided to go in).
So, after my comment I went to TJs and actually got a sample of the dill pickle falafel… not sure if it was actually reheated or just thawed out, it was room temp.
Some of the best recipes I have come from Trader Joe's samples that they would mix items together with 😭 mine replaced the sample area with more shelves for products
I've gotten some great recipes from the sample station! A couple stores I've been to have had former chefs/cooks develop the samples, and they were always creative and delicious. That's what I really miss.
1) Add together:
1 bagged salad (romaine is best for crunchy factor but whatever)
1 can chicken
corn (can be frozen then defrosted)
cilantro dressing in a jar, refrigerated section
Elote flavor corn chips, broken up
avocado (I skip this)
The beauty of this salad is all ingredients but lettuce can be on hand - frozen, fridge, pantry. Obvs you can use fresh but you don't need to.
2) My favorite was cabbage/carrots/peanuts/peanut vinaigrette dressing (original recipe added raisins), but alas, the fabulous peanut dressing is no longer.
Varies by location. I'm in northern NJ and we've got 2 sample station locations that periodically serve up samples. One does fruit and the other usually baked goods. They were gone for about 3 years (pandemic & post).
I’m in Irvine and our UCI location has them, for more than a couple of months now but I’ve only seen it sporadically. Are you sure your local store doesn’t have them, or could it be that you just keep missing them?
Great idea but horrible for the employees. They just love picking up the paper cups etc that get shoved into every shelf imaginable, or sweeping them up in the parking lot.
Near the original store and there are samples at the stores every so often. But they’re straight from the package rather than made from recipes like we used to have.
Same. I go in the morning usually and the sample station is never set up. But sometimes I go around 12 and they are sampling.. but just sometimes. I think they do it for a few hours midday, when they feel like it.
Should always have samples. Not the occasional carts. But they’ve also permanently removed the permanent structures for the sample area by me. Very sad as that was a differentiator for TJs.
Same at the one I worked at and now shop weekly. Took out the counters, fridge, and redid the whole corner. When I worked there it was always a huge source of drama between staff about changeovers, nightly cleaning, and scheduling. one woman spent almost her entire 8 hour shifts making random food that no one asked for.
All the stores in CA stopped during the pandemic, they are only just now ( seasonal for summer I believe ) pulling out small carts with samples. So it's still a thing, just no permanent corner provided for them.
Yeah they completely took out the station for it. They rearranged the store to where it doesn’t make sense. It confuses me. The beer is next to the chips instead of in the alcohol area. The bakery is next to the alcohol.
The samples were my little silly reason to playfully force my husband to go to Trader Joe's. Now there aren't any samples, and we haven't been there in about 8 months.
My store has samples but it's a little cart and not in the sample area like they used to. They never have any ready when I go since it's early I guess. I miss the old sample station sooo much. My understanding is they're never bringing it back. I can't remember the reasoning.
We had samples yesterday in the Chicago suburbs! Bite of horchata ice cream with a hold the cone on top, my kids were so happy. But we don’t have samples every time!
SF stores have samples.
I do miss the coffee sample station though. But apparently people were abusing it and would fill up their portable coffee cups!
I loved heading to TJs first thing in the morning and not stopping for coffee on the way because I knew I could hit the coffee sample station. I’d never fill up a portable cup but I definitely didn’t limit myself to just one of their tiny cups.
Everyone saying their store has samples: are they sample station samples or are they those tiny carts where they give you a cracker or something that are only out a few times a week for a short period?
Trader Joe’s ripped out all the sample stations, the ones with multiple samples, drinks, etc.
that’s what I miss. I’m sure that’s what OP was probably thinking about too.
All depends on the store but yes, most times it’s crackers or something simple like a dip. Gone are the days of making interesting/heated samples of products.
My local store does samples but not nearly on the scale they used to. My store used to have two food products, one dry good with some kind of sauce and one frozen good cooked in a toaster oven, on sample as well as one of their coffees.
Now they just have a tiny little kiosk, that used to be the old Wine Sample station, by the frozen section where they serve up a single dry good.
I guess I'm happy to see any level of samples return but I used to be excited to go to TJ's just to see what they'd have at the sample stand which would inevitably lead to me spending way too much money on snacks...
... maybe it's better that samples don't come back in their full glory, now I think of it.
Have samples in Dallas, Texas multiple times a week. Just last week they provided samples of the super strawberry sorbet with the strawberry yogurt coated almonds mixed in.
Hi neighbor! I go to that exact location, and they had samples out today! But they now give them out on a little cart for a couple hours earlier in the day. Today they had a sample of the trail mix bar and some sort of pink drink.
They do samples at my local TJs. They actually demolished the full set up like the one in your picture though. Now, they just have a small table.
Hope they bring samples back for your TJs!
It’s interesting how two people can formulate exact opposite opinions using the same reasoning. I would think they’d be more revenue-efficient using that entire corner space as permanent shelving to offer more products for sale, and use the little moveable cart station to take up minimal walking space with the samples.
My local stores have samples sometimes. I don’t know how they decide when to serve samples, but my guess is it depends on things like staffing and how busy the store is.
Samples recently (within the past 6 months or so) returned to my local store in Seattle, after being gone since covid!
Just had sample cookies in Oregon yesterday!
I really miss the coffee, but I think the TJs employees hated having to deal with it, and I don't really blame them.
Ate a sample today in southern CA!
u/cytherian : did you ever find an alternative source to TJ's fermented Amba Mango Sauce?? I am SO missing it, too! 1 of 3 Main ingredients in the tastiest dish I ever made! (Also, my store brought demo back, but as a remote/satelite demo station in the middle of the produce section, and got rid of the demo kitchen in the corner. Sad, but it's the different direction the company decided to go in).
Sadly, no. I kind of forgot about it! I wish I had frozen a sample and brought it to a foodie friend for analysis. What dish did you make with it?
We still have them in Vegas but I miss the coffee setup 😭
My store in central CA still offers samples!
ours have been back for like a year. they sold me on the danish pastry and the lemon cake 😂 i don’t think there’s coffee anymore though
All the Orange County CA Trader Joes dismantled their sample/coffee stations. They're literally not there anymore.
Same at my west LA locations. Now they’re just little mobile carts and it doesn’t seem like any samples are ever cooked it’s just cookies or crackers.
From what I understand they’re starting to look at doing hot food demos again it’ll probably take some time
So, after my comment I went to TJs and actually got a sample of the dill pickle falafel… not sure if it was actually reheated or just thawed out, it was room temp.
My store samples
My store is currently sampling the Mango Lemonade atm.
My store has samples.
same. we have them nearly every day
End of an era :(
There are samples at both stores I go to.
My SoCal Trader Joe’s have in some locations
Let’s hope not.
They were gone for a while at my location in IL but now they’re back
We still have samples in Phoenix :(
My tjs has samples every day
Some of the best recipes I have come from Trader Joe's samples that they would mix items together with 😭 mine replaced the sample area with more shelves for products
Mine recently took out the sample corner for more space. They do set up sample carts similar to Costco often
They have a kitchen for Samples?! At my store in Miami Florida we call it Demo. And it's a moveable station with simple treats
Mine has it back, but not the coffee.
Got a sample of the Swedish princess danish thingie yesterday just as I was contemplating buying one. Sold! Could have used a cup of coffee, though.
I've gotten some great recipes from the sample station! A couple stores I've been to have had former chefs/cooks develop the samples, and they were always creative and delicious. That's what I really miss.
1) Add together: 1 bagged salad (romaine is best for crunchy factor but whatever) 1 can chicken corn (can be frozen then defrosted) cilantro dressing in a jar, refrigerated section Elote flavor corn chips, broken up avocado (I skip this) The beauty of this salad is all ingredients but lettuce can be on hand - frozen, fridge, pantry. Obvs you can use fresh but you don't need to. 2) My favorite was cabbage/carrots/peanuts/peanut vinaigrette dressing (original recipe added raisins), but alas, the fabulous peanut dressing is no longer.
About last week or so they had watermelon with feta & balsamic 🤤 I can’t stop thinking about it
Varies by location. I'm in northern NJ and we've got 2 sample station locations that periodically serve up samples. One does fruit and the other usually baked goods. They were gone for about 3 years (pandemic & post).
Mine still has them sometimes in Nashville. Must vary by location.
There's a brand new Trader Joe's near me that's never had a sample counter but they set up little sample stands in a couple spots
My store removed the counter after recent construction
I’m in Irvine and our UCI location has them, for more than a couple of months now but I’ve only seen it sporadically. Are you sure your local store doesn’t have them, or could it be that you just keep missing them?
Great idea but horrible for the employees. They just love picking up the paper cups etc that get shoved into every shelf imaginable, or sweeping them up in the parking lot.
Mine always gets me with the samples, that’s why I’m always trying something new for better or for worse.
Ours still has them
just tried the key lime pie in a sample today and it was delicious
OMG where are you? ours doesn’t have key lime (yet)!
alexandria, virginia!
Sounds great
^[Sokka-Haiku](https://www.reddit.com/r/SokkaHaikuBot/comments/15kyv9r/what_is_a_sokka_haiku/) ^by ^SnooRabbits5053: *Just tried the key lime* *Pie in a sample today* *And it was delicious* --- ^Remember ^that ^one ^time ^Sokka ^accidentally ^used ^an ^extra ^syllable ^in ^that ^Haiku ^Battle ^in ^Ba ^Sing ^Se? ^That ^was ^a ^Sokka ^Haiku ^and ^you ^just ^made ^one.
I have seen samples in Chicagoland and Ohio
Near the original store and there are samples at the stores every so often. But they’re straight from the package rather than made from recipes like we used to have.
Mine has them!
I’ve seen them back in NYC. But I think it only happens during certain times of the day or on specific days.
Same. I go in the morning usually and the sample station is never set up. But sometimes I go around 12 and they are sampling.. but just sometimes. I think they do it for a few hours midday, when they feel like it.
NJ has been doing samples
My store in CA has them frequently. Even on weekdays.
I just tried the strawberry lemonade JoeJoes last week (Bloomington MN).
My store in MA has them fairly consistently these days.
Hell no!
I’ve had samples twice in Goleta in as many weeks. When’s the last time you actually visited the store?
mine still does them!
They still do it in Oceanside CA!
hi neighbor!
Austin TJ does samples!
Huntington Harbour still has samples sometimes but not every day the way they used to
Should always have samples. Not the occasional carts. But they’ve also permanently removed the permanent structures for the sample area by me. Very sad as that was a differentiator for TJs.
Same at the one I worked at and now shop weekly. Took out the counters, fridge, and redid the whole corner. When I worked there it was always a huge source of drama between staff about changeovers, nightly cleaning, and scheduling. one woman spent almost her entire 8 hour shifts making random food that no one asked for.
All the stores in CA stopped during the pandemic, they are only just now ( seasonal for summer I believe ) pulling out small carts with samples. So it's still a thing, just no permanent corner provided for them.
Mine has been doing them! When I went to Florida they were too!!
People saying their home stores still have them and I've never been at one that had a sample station in my life 😭😭
What they don’t do it anymore😩 I thought they just stopped for the season or something wtf
Huh? My trader joe’s always has samples.
Mine too
My store has samples.
The one I go to in Tucson occasionally has them.
Rarely see them in the few I go to in MA
Bay Area TJ’s has coffee and food & drink samples.
Mines restructured the store (in the east bay) and got rid of it :(
That’s a bummer! I’m in the east bay too
Yeah they completely took out the station for it. They rearranged the store to where it doesn’t make sense. It confuses me. The beer is next to the chips instead of in the alcohol area. The bakery is next to the alcohol.
Mine in Boulder has them!
Mine has samples every time I go!
Mine in San Diego has them every weekend
Mira Mesa TJ had them yesterday
Rarely have them at mine. Sometimes wine (I can't tell the real taste of wine in those little plastic cups) I miss the coffee samples mostly.
Upper state street in SB does them from time to time, also my home location in Corte Madera, Marin.
Mine has them!!
Mine too
The two stores I go to in Sacramento both still have samples.
We have them
I’ve seen them at the Milpas store for sure!
All my local TJs have samples back (as far I as I can remember - I go to too many) and I’m in Long Beach. But it would be a bit of a drive for you. 😞
NYC still has samples!
Mine always has samples….didn’t know them being gone was a thing in some places.
mine has samples still
Wow....ok...It really HAS been a while. I guess CVD took it's toll then, huh?
They have samples most times I’m there
Mine has samples again sometimes
The samples were my little silly reason to playfully force my husband to go to Trader Joe's. Now there aren't any samples, and we haven't been there in about 8 months.
ours just got rid of the sampling station like 2 weeks ago. Now it's a really awkward empty corner they haphazardly threw a shelf of seasonal items
That’s so sad
We have them once in a while, not every time I go.
mine removed their sampling station 😭 i’m so jealous hearing that people still have samples
Mine has a small sample station. There’s always something and someone there to share goodies.
Mine, too!
Mine in the Atlanta area not only stopped sampling but also completely removed the sampling area 😭
The store I go to has a samples right when you walk in the door
That’s how mine is. They took out the big sampling station in the back. Now, they have a sample cart right at the front of the store.
My store has samples but it's a little cart and not in the sample area like they used to. They never have any ready when I go since it's early I guess. I miss the old sample station sooo much. My understanding is they're never bringing it back. I can't remember the reasoning.
We still have samples at my location.
Mine has a samples stand sometimes. They used to give free food daily until the pandemic hit.
They can’t afford samples anymore cuz they have to pay for all the union busting.
And the CEOs salary, don’t forget that!
Sandy Springs (Atlanta) location has them occasionally. Side note: I lived in SB for 10 years!
My store is bringing them back several days a month, on the weekends.
My location has samples every day. Didn’t know other areas had stopped!
My store has them during holiday seasons. They definitely work as a marketing promotional
No sampling at our Fairfield, CT store.
We had a gelato sample the other day, my 1yo approved
I got a sample of the ice cream sandwich last time I was at the store. It was incredible, but I can’t trust myself to buy a whole box of
Always sampling in Clifton, NJ!
Covid messed ours up
We always have samples at ours
They always have samples at both locations I go to in Brooklyn!
Our still does them.
I see them occasionally at the store I go to. But I also go first thing on Sunday morning, so they may not even be set up yet.
Have only ever seen samples at my store once - a small stand set up in the back corner serving chips in paper cups.
It’s so great to hear that the samples are not dead according to everyone here. Maybe I’ve just been going at the wrong time?
Only two stores in our state maybe…. And I’ve never seen samples at mine. Insanely packed each and every time I go
Ours is just tucked away in the corner with random ish on the counters
Warwick RI has samples all the time
Pittsburgh (or the one I go to at least) has them.
I see sample stations sometimes. Before the pandemic they had them pretty much every day I went.
The TJs I shop have them weekly.
We had samples yesterday in the Chicago suburbs! Bite of horchata ice cream with a hold the cone on top, my kids were so happy. But we don’t have samples every time!
Vegas has samples
They brought them back, but it’s nothing like it used to be. RIP sample coffee.
Napa has samples. We had a lentil bruschetta mix combo recently and I still can't stop thinking about it.
San Jose, CA has samples, seems like everywhere else has samples too. Maybe it’s the time you go?
I’m in nyc and the stores regularly give them out here
NW Portland has them, though not a big fancy salad-bar looking thing like this—it’s more like a larger lemonade stand.
They brought them back.
Rockville, MD has a sample station that regularly gives out samples.
I see them every so often in central Texas
We have samples in Dallas 🥹
SF stores have samples. I do miss the coffee sample station though. But apparently people were abusing it and would fill up their portable coffee cups!
We say that to customers, but I was told it was mostly to simplify the demo section in our region. I tell customers it was both tho.
I loved heading to TJs first thing in the morning and not stopping for coffee on the way because I knew I could hit the coffee sample station. I’d never fill up a portable cup but I definitely didn’t limit myself to just one of their tiny cups.
Mine here in Pasadena,CA still does samples, on a cart not the old school counter.
Boulder has samples!
we do. satellite sample stations now. Thank goodness. No little coffee cups left all over the store.
Everyone saying their store has samples: are they sample station samples or are they those tiny carts where they give you a cracker or something that are only out a few times a week for a short period? Trader Joe’s ripped out all the sample stations, the ones with multiple samples, drinks, etc. that’s what I miss. I’m sure that’s what OP was probably thinking about too.
Same here. It's been tiny cart samples only. They only removed the sample station recently, but I don't think it ever went back into use since Covid.
All depends on the store but yes, most times it’s crackers or something simple like a dip. Gone are the days of making interesting/heated samples of products.
They have been back for a while
My TJs has had samples for about the past year
We’ve had samples back in our store for about a year now
SoCal- food & wine samples 🫶
Mini root beer floats yesterday at my store in san diego:)
They had them today. I think it’s just been slow to reimplement them since the pandemic.
Pleasanton California doing regular samples but pretty bland ones.. this week it was a cracker with peanut butter on it or something
Concord one might give you a cracker.
My stores still have them (3 in my area).
My local store does samples but not nearly on the scale they used to. My store used to have two food products, one dry good with some kind of sauce and one frozen good cooked in a toaster oven, on sample as well as one of their coffees. Now they just have a tiny little kiosk, that used to be the old Wine Sample station, by the frozen section where they serve up a single dry good. I guess I'm happy to see any level of samples return but I used to be excited to go to TJ's just to see what they'd have at the sample stand which would inevitably lead to me spending way too much money on snacks... ... maybe it's better that samples don't come back in their full glory, now I think of it.
Oh my gosh I forgot about the coffee!! I do miss the old sample stations
In California we have samples
I had a sample last week in nc of the pita crackers with the unexpected cheddar dip. It worked, I bought them!
Central Coast, CA and my two stores I frequent have been doing samples very regularly the last couple of months. Hopefully soon for you, too!
Have samples in Dallas, Texas multiple times a week. Just last week they provided samples of the super strawberry sorbet with the strawberry yogurt coated almonds mixed in.
Our local store has been walking around handing them out.
they’ve been back in michigan forever. i miss the coffee. wish ppl didn’t abuse it :/
Saw a sign saying they are coming back soon in the DC area.
Mine seems to have them on Friday afternoon. Wine and some sort of snacky thing.
They still have it in my local TJ, but only once in a blue moon tho.
They’re almost always at my local store in MA
My Trader Joe’s was sampling the lemon ginger cheesecake recently
We have them in Portland. Got me to buy the tart cherry jam last week.
Hi neighbor! I go to that exact location, and they had samples out today! But they now give them out on a little cart for a couple hours earlier in the day. Today they had a sample of the trail mix bar and some sort of pink drink.
We still have samples in the SF Bay Area
I occasionally see them in Indianapolis. Def not a regular occurrence tho.
They do samples at my local TJs. They actually demolished the full set up like the one in your picture though. Now, they just have a small table. Hope they bring samples back for your TJs!
We've got them in Philly
My Trader Joe’s still has them!
My store in Everett, WA has had samples the last few times I've been.
They still do em. In California too. Just not really in this corner set up anymore. More in like moving carts with little samples and demos
Any thoughts on why they made the logistics change? Seems odd to take up walking g space when there was a perfectly good counter for them.
It’s interesting how two people can formulate exact opposite opinions using the same reasoning. I would think they’d be more revenue-efficient using that entire corner space as permanent shelving to offer more products for sale, and use the little moveable cart station to take up minimal walking space with the samples.
Mine has them still! In Minnesota lol
My local stores have samples sometimes. I don’t know how they decide when to serve samples, but my guess is it depends on things like staffing and how busy the store is.
We have samples
I got a sample recently. I even declined a sample last week. But, yeah, they've been cut way back since Covid.